Sydney’s newest recruits were welcomed to the Swans family this week – and now we can reveal what numbers they’ll be wearing in season 2020.
Dylan Stephens, who was selected with pick five in the AFL draft, will don the number three jumper worn by 2012 premiership co-captain Jarrad McVeigh – who was also a number five draft selection.
Will Gould, the South Australian captain selected at pick 26, is set to run out in the number 17, worn by 2005 premiership player and current assistant coach Tadhg Kennelly.
Elijah Taylor, a speedster from Western Australia and proud Noongar man, will wear the number 37 guernsey made famous by Bloods Legend Adam Goodes.
Taylor, who was recruited with pick 36 in the AFL Draft, will become the first Swan to wear the number 37 since Goodes retired at the end of season 2015.
Fellow WA draftee Chad Warner will pull on the number one jumper graced by a long list of club greats, including Vic Belcher, Charlie Ricketts, Jack Bissett, J. Herbie Matthews, Paul Roos and Barry Hall, while rookie Brady Rowles will wear the number 39 – most recently worn by 2012 premiership defender Heath Grundy.
Former Lion Lewis Taylor, who was secured through the trade period will wear the number 28 jumper formerly worn by Swans Team of the Century member Mark Tandy, while ex-Power forward Sam Gray will run out in the number 15 worn by 2012 premiership midfielder Kieren Jack, and ex-Hawk Kaiden Brand will don the number two worn by a host of revered names in Swans history, including Team of the Century duo Fred Goldsmith and Greg Williams, and 2005 premiership forward Nick Davis.
Irish recruit Barry O’Connor, secured as a Category B rookie, will make the number 35 jumper his own, while Sam Naismith has switched from number 35 to the number 10 vacated by Zak Jones.
We all look forward to seeing how the careers of all our new players progress, and how they will write their own story for the Sydney Swans.
The 2020 Guernsey Presentation and Hall of Fame Induction Dinner, presented by Volkswagen, will take place on Wednesday 26 February.
Full list of new guernsey numbers below:
1 = Chad Warner
2 = Kaiden Brand
3 = Dylan Stephens
10 = Sam Naismith
15 = Sam Gray
17 = Will Gould
28 = Lewis Taylor
35 = Barry O’Connor
37 = Elijah Taylor
39 = Brady Rowles
